Paweł Samecki, European Commissioner for Regional
Policy, will receive today a delegation from China headed by Du Ying, First
Vice-Minister from the National Development and Reform Commission, which reports
to the National People’s Congress. This annual meeting is taking place
within the framework of the EU-China dialogue on regional policy. The aim of
today's meeting is to agree on a joint working programme for 2010 to pursue a
mutually beneficial exchange of experience on regional policy.

What innovation policy for the
EU? The first-ever European Innovation Summit investigates

The 1st European Innovation Summit (EIS) will turn the
European Parliament into an Innovation Showcase from 13 to 14 October 2009.
Being the first of its kind, the Summit provides a unique opportunity for
organisations to demonstrate and explain how they contribute to positioning
Europe as a global innovation leader. The Summit is organised by the platform
Knowledge4Innovation (K4I)/Lisbon Forum in partnership with the European Year of
Creativity and Innovation 2009. Highlights of the Summit include an exhibition
with 33 exhibitors, conference sessions, networking events, a special welcome
reception for new and returning MEPs with the Commission President José
Manuel Barroso, and a plenary session on “Europe’s Future Nobel
Prize Winners” with the President of the European Parliament, Jerzy
Buzek.

The Commission and 22 world
leaders explore ways for the viability of Carbon Capture and Storage

The European Commission, along with leaders
from 22 world countries, explored today the best ways to accelerate the
commercialisation of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) at the 3rd Ministerial
Meeting of the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum (CSLF) in London. Carbon
capture and storage is a technology that allows reduction of fossil fuel
emissions by capturing CO2 from large emitters (such as coal or gas power plants
and the steel industry) and store it underground. Bringing down the costs of
the new technologies will enable CCS to exploit its full emission abatement
potential and contribute to sustainable, secure and competitive energy.
EMBARGO 14h30

State aid: Commission approves prolongation of UK financial support
measures to banking sector

The European Commission has approved
under EC Treaty state aid rules the prolongation until 31 December 2009 of the
drawdown window of the Credit guarantee and recapitalisation schemes, which form
part of the UK's support measures to the banking industry during the current
financial crisis. The Commission approved the original measures on 13 October
2008, modifications on 23 December 2008 (see IP/08/1496
and IP/08/2057)
and the extension of the schemes until 13 October 2009 on 15 April 2009 (see IP/09/586).
The Commission found the prolongation until 31 December 2009 to be in line with
its Communication on state aid to overcome the financial crisis (see IP/08/1495).
In particular, the extended measures are limited in time and scope. The
Commission has therefore concluded that they represent an appropriate and
proportionate means of remedying a serious disturbance in the UK economy and as
such are compatible with Article 87(3)(b) of the EC Treaty.

Cost-sharing schemes for training in the newer Member States: What works,
what doesn’t

A Cedefop conference on "Sharing the costs of
training in the newer EU Member States", (Thessaloniki, 15-16 October 2009) will
show that overall investment and participation in training can both increase if
there are well-designed financing schemes combining public and private funds for
vocational education and training (VET). The conference draws upon a Cedefop
report that is the first to map and examine a wide range of cost-sharing
training schemes in the EU. It provides evidence and arguments on what works and
what doesn’t, and how the situation can be improved - both in terms of the
schemes themselves and of evaluation methods. At present, almost all
cost-sharing mechanisms used in the new Member States score relatively low in
equity – that is, most of them do not offer equal opportunities to all
qualification levels. The report therefore recommends that more attention be
paid to ensuring equal opportunity of access in order to increase efficiency.
Conference information: http://agora.cedefop.europa.eu/VET-financing-2009/
Cedefop press release: http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/etv/news/default.asp?idnews=4826About Cedefop: The European Centre for the Development of Vocational
Training (Cedefop), an agency of the European Union based in Thessaloniki,
Greece, supports European policy-making in the field of vocational education and
training. Website: www.cedefop.europa.eu

Autre matériel diffusé

• Memo on State aid: Overview of national
measures adopted as a response to the financial/economic crisis

• Speech by Commissioner
Potočnik 'Innovation: Building a Successful Future for Europe',
Brussels